U.S. patent number 5,742,915 [Application Number 08/573,216] was granted by the patent office on 1998-04-21 for position referenced data for monitoring and controlling.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Caterpillar Inc.. Invention is credited to Darrell E. Stafford.
United States Patent |
5,742,915 |
Stafford |
April 21, 1998 |
Position referenced data for monitoring and controlling
Abstract
A system and method for recording the time and position of a
machine during the occurrence of an event. The system includes
means to determine the operating characteristics of the machine,
means to determine a set of operating parameters of the machine,
means to detect a significant event including a deviation in
operating parameters, means to determine the time of occurrence and
the geographic location at the time of occurrence, means to
determine a level of significance of a deviation, means to store
the information im memory, and means to transmit the information to
a remote location.
Inventors: |
Stafford; Darrell E. (Dunlap,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
24291082 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/573,216 |
Filed: |
December 13, 1995 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/456.1;
340/438; 701/32.3; 701/33.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C
5/008 (20130101); G07C 5/085 (20130101); G08G
1/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07C
5/00 (20060101); G07C 5/08 (20060101); G08G
1/123 (20060101); G06F 019/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;364/443,424.034,424.035,424.038,424.039,424.04,449.1,449.7
;340/438,439 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Chin; Gary
Claims
I claim:
1. A system for recording the time and position of a machine during
an occurrence of an event, comprising:
means for sensing operating characteristics of said machine;
means for receiving said operating characteristics, responsively
determining a set of operating parameters, and detecting a
deviation in said operating parameters of said machine;
means for determining a time of occurrence of said deviation;
means for determining a geographic location of said machine at said
time of occurrence;
means for determining a level of significance of said deviation
from one of three levels of significance, including a level one
event, a level two event, and a level three event;
means for storing said deviation, said time of occurrence, said
geographic location, and said level of significance in memory;
and
means for transmitting said deviation, said time of occurrence, and
said geographic location to a remote location.
2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said deviation is
defined as when a value of an operating parameter exceeds a
predetermined limit.
3. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for
detecting a deviation includes a microprocessor located on said
machine.
4. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmitting
means transmits said level of significance to said remote location
if said level of significance equals said level two event.
5. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmitting
means transmits said level of significance to said remote location
if said level of significance equals said level three event.
6. A system, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the occurrence of
said level three event responsively causes said machine to shut
down.
7. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmitting
means transmits said deviation, said time of occurrence, and said
geographic location in response to said level of significance being
equal to one of said level two event and said level three
event.
8. A system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said means for
transmitting includes a long-range radiofrequency (RF) link.
9. A system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said transmitting
means transmits said deviation, said time of occurrence, and said
geographic location immediately after an occurrence of one of said
level two event and said level three event.
10. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said
operating parameters is equal to a corresponding at least one of
said operating characteristics.
11. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for
determining a set of operating parameters calculates at least one
of said operating parameters as a function of at least one of said
operating characteristics.
12. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
at least one of said operating parameters is equal to a
corresponding at least one of said operating characteristics;
and
said means for determining a set of operating parameters calculates
at least one other of said operating parameters as a function of at
least one of said operating characteristics.
13. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for
determining a geographic location includes a Global Positioning
Satellite (GPS) System.
14. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for
transmitting includes a direct connect link to said memory.
15. A system, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for
transmitting transmits said deviation, said time of occurrence, and
said geographic location over said direct connect link as the
result of a query command.
16. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for
transmitting includes a short-range wireless link.
17. A system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein said means for
transmitting transmits said deviation, said time of occurrence, and
said geographic location as said machine approaches a predetermined
reporting station.
18. A method for recording the time and position of a machine
during an occurrence of an event, including the steps of:
determining operating characteristics of said machine;
receiving said operating characteristics and responsively
determining a set of operating parameters of said machine;
detecting a deviation of said operating parameters;
determining a time of occurrence of said deviation;
determining a geographic location of said machine at said time of
occurrence;
determining a level of significance of said deviation from one of
three levels of significance, including a level one event, a level
two event, and a level three event;
storing said deviation, said time of occurrence, said geographic
location, and said level of significance in memory; and
transmitting said deviation, said time of occurrence, and said
geographic location to a remote location.
19. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the step of
determining said level of significance is performed by a
microprocessor located on said machine.
20. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein at least one of
said operating parameters is equal to a corresponding at least one
of said operating characteristics.
21. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said step of
determining a set of operating parameters includes the step of
calculating at least one of said operating parameters as a function
of at least one of said operating characteristics.
22. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein at least one of
said operating parameters is equal to a corresponding at least one
of said operating characteristics, and said step of determining a
set of operating parameters includes the step of calculating at
least one other of said operating parameters as a function of at
least one of said operating characteristics.
23. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the step of
determining said time of occurrence is performed by reading a clock
signal from a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) System.
24. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the step of storing
is performed by a microprocessor located on said machine.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a system and method for
monitoring machines and more particularly to a system and method
for recording and selectively transmitting the time and location
during the occurrence of an event.
BACKGROUND ART
Systems to monitor machine performance and communicate with remote
locations are known in the art. The emergence of accurate machine
positioning systems are also known. Combinations of machine
monitoring, communications, and position determination have been
developed and are used for many applications.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,206, Scribner et al disclose a
tracking system which determines and records the location of a
machine during the steps of loading and unloading. The information
is stored in a data collector on the machine and is retrieved at
the end of the work shift. However, this system is limited to a
specific application and does not have the capability to respond
differently to various situations, e.g., any deviation from the
normal operations of the machine.
As another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,197, Sorden et al
disclose a method and apparatus using a distance measuring system
(DMS) to transmit location information following an accident or
other abnormal situation. The DMS could be a land-based navigation
system such as LORAN or a satellite-based system such as the Global
Positioning Satellite (GPS) System. The transmission of a distress
signal is used to enable a respondent to travel directly to the
location of the machine. However, many situations exist where an
event occurs that does not require a response. These events can
provide much useful information if they are stored in memory,
especially if the location of the machine at the time of the event
is recorded also. This would mean determining whether an event
required an immediate response or if it could be stored for later
retrieval.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the
problems, as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention a system for recording the
time and position of a machine during an occurrence of a
significant event is provided. The system determines a plurality of
operating parameters of the machine, detects a significant event
during operation of the machine, and determines the time the event
occurred and the geographic location of the machine at the time of
occurrence.
The system also stores the significant event, the time of
occurrence, and the geographic location in memory and transmits the
significant event, the time of occurrence, and the geographic
location to a remote location.
In another aspect of the present invention a method for recording
the time and position of a machine during an occurrence of a
significant event is provided. The method includes the steps of
determining a plurality of operating parameters of a machine,
detecting a significant event during the operation of the machine,
and determining a time of occurrence of the significant event and a
geographic location of the machine at the time of occurrence. The
method further includes the steps of storing the significant event,
the time of occurrence, and the geographic location in memory and
transmitting the significant event, the time of occurrence, and the
geographic location to a remote location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a machine monitoring and control
system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of downloading
data.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system for determining a plurality
of operating parameters of a machine 10, detecting significant
events which occur, determining the time and geographic location of
the machine 10 during the occurrence of the significant events, and
selectively storing and transmitting the significant event, the
time of occurrence, and the geographic location as required. The
present invention has many applications. For purposes of
explanation only, the present invention will be discussed in
relation to two applications.
With reference to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 for
monitoring and controlling position referenced data is shown. The
system 100 may apply to a wide variety of mobile machines
including, but not limited to, on-road trucks such as semi-tractor
trucks, automobiles, off-road trucks, earthmoving machines,
agricultural machines, and the like.
A means 102 located on the machine 10 senses a plurality of
operating characteristics. The means 102 for sensing includes a
plurality of sensors 104. The sensors 104 perform a variety of
sensing functions, and are normally part of the standard array of
machine components. For example, an off-road mining truck has
almost 70 sensors. The sensors 104 monitor many operating
characteristics and include, but are not limited to, temperature
sensors, pressure sensors, hydraulic systems sensors, brake system
sensors, safety backup systems sensors, and many more.
The information from the sensors 104 is relayed to an on-board
controlling means 112 which receives characteristics and
responsively determines parameters. Parameters may be sensed,
modeled or calculated. A significant event is a predetermined
condition of the operating parameters (see below).
Preferably, the controlling means 112 includes a microprocessor 113
and may be a standard component on the machine 10. Most machines
being produced now have microprocessors installed as standard
features, which are already obtaining data from the many sensors
104 located on the machine 10.
The controlling means 112 may receive some sensed characteristics
for direct analysis, e.g., failure of a component or system, or a
temperature reading. In this case, the operating parameter
correlates to the sensed operating characteristic. In other cases,
the controlling means 112 may receive characteristics from two or
more sensors 104 and calculate a resultant parameter. For example,
pressure sensors may be installed at both the input and output of a
filter. The two pressure measurements are sent to the controlling
means 112, which then determines a filter differential pressure.
The calculated differential pressure is then used to determine the
presence of any blockage that may exist in the filter.
A means 106 determines the location of the machine 10. In the
preferred embodiment, the location determining means 106 includes a
GPS satellite clock 108 and a GPS receiver 110. The GPS receiver
110 determines the geographic location of the machine 10 and sends
the coordinates to the controlling means 112. GPS technology is
well known in the art and will not be discussed further. It should
be noted that other location determining methods (e.g., LORAN or
laser positioning systems) may be used without deviating from the
spirit of the invention.
The GPS receiver 110 receives clock data from the GPS satellite
clock 108, which is also sent to the controlling means 112 to track
the time that events occur. GPS clocks are extremely accurate
(current technology supports +/- 40 nanosecond accuracy) and
provide a good reference. For example, if a fleet of on-highway
semi-tractor trucks is distributed throughout the country, it would
be very desirable to track the times of events associated with
these trucks with respect to a common time reference.
Alternatively, other clock sources may be utilized. Examples would
include the WWV clock source or a standard clock signal from a
central location.
A means 114 receives and stores the data compiled by the
controlling means 112. The storing means 114 includes standard
on-board memory 115, and is usually found with the standard
microprocessor 113 found on most machines now produced.
The information from the controlling means 112 can also be output
by a variety of means. A direct connect link 116 directly connects
the controlling means 112 to a remote terminal. This allows an
operator to download data directly to the remote terminal. One
common direct connect link is a standard RS-232 port. However,
other direct connect protocols could be used without deviating from
the idea of the present invention.
The downloaded data could be used for a variety of purposes. For
example, the data could be used for maintenance purposes. The data
could also be downloaded to provide a history of the operation of
the machine 10 for further analysis. As another example, the data
could be compiled with similar data from other machines to help
determine events that are common to multiple machines.
A means 118 receives data from the controlling means 112 and
transmits the data to a remote location. The transmitting means 118
may include a short range wireless link 120 or a long range
radiofrequency (RF) link 122. Both types of transmitting links may
exist on the same machine 10, in which case the controlling means
112 would determine which link to use, depending on which
conditions may apply, as described below.
A short range wireless link 120 may include a telemetry link, a
wireless infra-red link, or other suitable device for transmitting
data over short distances. The short range wireless link 120 would
be used when data of a routine nature is being transmitted as the
result of a query. For example, when an on-highway semi-tractor
truck pulls into a predetermined reporting station, such as a fuel
station, a query may cause the contents of the on-board memory 115
to be downloaded into a remote terminal without any human
intervention. Information from a fleet of trucks could then be sent
to a home base location on an automatic, on-going basis.
Under some conditions, data from an event is considered important
enough to send immediately to a remote location. For example, if an
off-road mining truck experiences a mechanical problem that either
immobilizes the machine 10 or could potentially immobilize the
machine 10, the information about the problem needs to sent
immediately to a remote location so that service personnel can be
dispatched right away.
When the data must be sent immediately, the controlling means 112
would transmit the data via the long range RF link 122. Examples of
long range RF links include, but are not limited to, VHF/UHF radio
systems, satellite uplinks, and cellular modems. Long range RF link
technologies are numerous and are well known in the art.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a flow diagram of a method 200 for
monitoring and controlling position referenced data is shown.
In a first control block 202 the machine parameters are monitored.
This is accomplished either directly by receiving characteristics
from the sensors 104 or indirectly by calculating parameters based
on initial sensed characteristics.
In a first decision block 204, if an event has occurred, control
proceeds to a second control block 206. In the second control block
206 the event, the time of occurrence, and the geographic location
are stored in memory 115. The time and geographic location are
obtained from the data sent by GPS receiver 110. The determination
of the occurrence of an event by the controlling means 112 is based
on characteristics received from the machine sensors 104, from
which machine parameters are determined and compared to a set of
predetermined criteria. For example, the outputs from the sensors
104 are defined to be within a range of values for normal
operation. If the controlling means 112 receives a characteristic
from a sensor which exceeds its predetermined normal range, an
event is said to have occurred in the form of a deviation.
Another example of an event may be when a machine 10 crosses
certain predetermined boundaries, such as state or county lines.
Other examples of events may be defined by any occurrences during
machine operation that may be of interest to the owner or operator
of the machine 10.
If no event has occurred, operation returns to the first control
block 202.
In a second decision block 208, in the preferred embodiment, the
event is defined as a level one event, a level two event, or a
level three event.
A level one event is classified as a minor deviation from normal
operating parameters that would not adversely affect operation of
the machine 10, or as a predetermined significant event. In the
preferred embodiment, level one events are not transmitted right
away, but are stored in memory 115 for future routine
downloading.
Referring briefly to FIG. 3, a method 300 for downloading data is
shown. In a first control block 302 a query command for downloading
is sent. The query may be an operator initiated command such as a
keyboard entry, or may be automatically sent when, for example, a
machine 10 approaches a predetermined reporting station.
In a first decision block 304 it is determined if a direct connect
link 116 is attached. If an attachment is made operation proceeds
to a second control block 306 where the data is downloaded via the
direct connect link 116. If no direct attachment is made then
operation proceeds to a third control block 308 where the data is
downloaded via a short range wireless link 120.
Referring to FIG. 2, a level two event is defined as a deviation
from normal operating parameters that may have an adverse affect on
the operation of the machine 10, or may soon create a situation
where the operation of the machine 10 would be adversely affected.
Usually, the machine 10 can continue to operate for a short period
of time, but service personnel need to be notified right away to
respond to the problem and thereby minimize downtime of the machine
10 and major repair costs.
A level two event would require operations to move to a third
control block 212, where the machine ID, the event, the time of
occurrence, and the geographic location are transmitted via a long
range RF link 122. Operations then return to the first control
block 202 to continue monitoring machine parameters.
A level three event is defined as a deviation from normal operating
parameters that may have a severe adverse affect on the operations
of the machine 10. For example, a sensor may indicate a severe
problem which will soon cause a major breakdown if the machine 10
is not shut down right away, such as the failure of an engine
bearing. Another example would be the imminent or total failure of
a vital system e.g., a total failure of a brake system.
The determination of a level three event will cause the machine 10
to shut down (in a fourth control block 210) to prevent further,
more costly damage.
After shutting down the machine 10, operations then move to the
third control block 212 to transmit the machine ID, the event, the
time of occurrence, and the geographic location via the long range
RF link 122.
In the above description three levels of events were defined and
classified. Alternative or additional classifications of levels may
be used without deviating from the idea of the invention. For
example, another level of an event could cause the machine 10 to
reduce operating power to a predetermined lower range.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As an example of an application of the present invention, a fleet
of on-highway semi-tractor trucks distributed throughout a large
geographic area can be operated more efficiently if regular
feedback is obtained concerning various operating parameters of the
trucks with respect to the locations of the trucks as events occur.
Data that is downloaded at predetermined reporting stations can be
used to modify truck routes in order to purchase fuel in states
with lower prices and less tax. Fleet operators can compile data
that can be used to determine fuel consumption in various states to
comply with various interstate transport regulations.
Also, any mechanical problems that a truck may have will be stored
in memory and, if needed, transmitted to a base location for
response by a maintenance crew. The information includes the
geographic location of the machine at the time of the occurrence of
the event. This information, when compiled into an historical
database, may help in the understanding of events that are location
or time dependent.
As another example of an application of the present invention, an
open pit mining site has a fleet of off-road mining trucks that
haul material from the mining areas to dump sites. Current
technology is developing that will allow operating the trucks
autonomously (no human operators). Under these conditions, events
that occur during operation of the trucks will need to be recorded
and communicated to a control station. For example, if a frequently
traveled mine road has a hole or a rock that the trucks repeatedly
traverse, sensors on the trucks would indicate a deviation from the
normal operating parameters of the suspension systems. The present
invention would record the events, as well as the geographic
location where the event repeatedly occurs. A maintenance crew
could then be dispatched to the location to repair the road surface
before costly damage to the truck suspensions occurs.
Other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention can
be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the
appended claims.
* * * * *